The present invention generally relates to drain plugs for bathtubs.
Bathtub drains include a “tub shoe” providing a drain aperture located at a low slope in the bathtub. The drain aperture may be formed by an upper portion of a metallic drain fitting designed to connect with a pipe that takes waste water from the bathtub. A drain stopper may be used to plug the drain aperture while the bathtub is in use.
Drop-in screens have also been used to prevent solid detritus (hair, clippings, etc.) from clogging the drain. There are disadvantages to the use of such screens. For example, the screen and plug may not be sized to fit together, and use of the screen can cause the plug to be lost. Also, the screen can loosen during use and float, allowing detritus to clog the drain. Such devices may also not provide the stock appearance of bathtub drain plugs. Additionally, it may not be possible to fill the bathtub unless the screen and drain plug are re-installed, which can be difficult, particularly if the bathtub is already partially filled with water.
Conventional screens for bathtub drains can also be difficult to clean/unclog, as many have more apertures in the screen than are necessary given the flow of water passing through the screen, or the screen may have a relatively large circumference, such that it is time-consuming to remove hair from it, for example.
Conventional drain plugs include rubber seals/plugs that simply press-fit into the drain aperture, and can easily loosen during use. Unless only an elastomeric plug is used, conventional drain plugs may require a fixed (threaded) connection with the drain opening, such as drain plugs that are rotated into a sealing connection using a lift-and-turn movement, which can be cumbersome and/or tricky to seal in place and to unseal. “Pop and seal” (e.g., spring-loaded) drain plugs have also been used, with similar problems. Such drain plugs are also typically fixed to the screen, allowing hair to wrap around the screen, which can be time-consuming to remove.